Knee decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected knee disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case for a clarification of whether the Veteran's left knee and low back disabilities are caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability. The claims will be reconsidered after the additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability is related to his service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's cause of death was not due to a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is related to his service-connected type II diabetes. The Board has granted the claim for service connection.

The Board found no new evidence to reopen the claims and denied service connection for right knee and foot disorders, as well as a right ankle disorder. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional VA treatment records. The claim will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's right knee disability, post-total knee replacement, did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent from July 1, 2005 to May 15, 2013 and was rated at 30 percent. From May 16, 2013, it did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 40 percent.

The Veteran's right and left knee DJD were granted increased ratings of 20%, effective July 25, 2011. The claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was denied.,No new evidence or changes in the existing service-connected conditions were presented that would warrant reopening the claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral leg disorder is not service-connected, but his low back disorder is found to be aggravated by his service-connected pilonidal cyst condition.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for tinnitus and granted a 30 percent rating for major depressive disorder. The left knee disability is rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain VA and private treatment records, as well as a VA examination. The Veteran's bilateral knee disorders are being remanded for further review.

The Board is reopening the claims for service connection for low back and right knee disabilities, but remanding them to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) for further development. The Veteran's left knee disability, cervical spine, lumbar spine, and right knee disabilities are being examined again due to new evidence.

The Veteran's knee disabilities, specifically instability and degenerative arthritis of the left and right knees, have been granted increased ratings effective November 22, 2013. The current ratings are 30 percent for each knee.

The Veteran's initial claims for service connection were received more than one year after his discharge from service, so the earliest possible effective date is March 13, 2009.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted with an effective date of October 22, 2003. Basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) was also granted based on the same effective date due to permanent total disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder, including as secondary to his service-connected excision of the head of the left radius, was denied. The Board found new and material evidence but did not establish service connection due to lack of causation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her right and left knee disabilities have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine his eligibility for specially adapted housing.